^# 


^-^^^^^ 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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PhotogmDhic 

Scimces 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/iCMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  MIcroreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  historiques 


:\ 


\ 


^ 


'U 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notas/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
originaf  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 
D 
G 
D 
D 
D 
D 
D 
D 


D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couvartura  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommag4i« 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  peiliculde 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  mapii/ 

Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  6n  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
RaliA  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  serr^e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  i«  long  da  la  marge  intirieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  b«en  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutAes 
lors  dune  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  iti  film^es. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplimentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  ete  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
ime  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  una 
modification  dans  la  m^thoda  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu^s  ci-dessous. 


Th« 

toU 


r~n    Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag^es 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pelliculdes 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxei 
Pages  ddcolor^es,  tachet^es  ou  piquees 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d^tachees 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Quality  inigale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materia 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


r~^  Pages  damaged/ 

I      I  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

I    71  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed 

I      I  Pages  detached/ 

r~7|  Showthrough/ 

I      I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

I      I  Only  edition  available/ 


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first 
sion 
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Th« 
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D 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc..  ha\'e  been  refilmsd  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partieilement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etr:.,  cnt  6t^  fiimdes  d  nouveau  de  facon  a 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ca  document  est  fiimA  au  taux  da  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


y 


12X 


16X 


20X 


26X 


30X 


24X 


28X 


n 

32X 


The  copy  filmed  he.-e  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Douglas  Library 
Queen's  University 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grAce  d  la 
g^ntrosit*  de: 

Douglas  Library 
Queen's  University 


The  images  appeariiig  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  iceeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduftes  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  da  la  condition  at 
de  la  nattetd  da  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  bac!:  cover  whan  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  in  pres- 
sion,  and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprim6e  so>:^  film6s  en  commen^ant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comports  una  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  fiimds  en  commen9ant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  compoite  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  -^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  —►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
film6s  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diff6rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  film6  d  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

'».  -H 


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Kl 


NC3STON.   ONTARIO 


TL-f^.'/ia,   I/, 


s^.4. 


AN 


APPEAL 


TO    THK 


GOOD  SENSE  OF  THE  DEMOCRATS 


AND    THE 


PUBLIC  SPIRIT  OF  THE  FEDERALISTS. 


# 


BY    A    CITIZEN    OF  MASSACHUSBTTS. 


BOSTON  : 
PRINTED    BY    JOHN    ELIOT,    NO.    5,   COURT    STREET. 

1814. 


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AN  APPEAL,  &c. 


All  the  energies  of  a  nation  were  never  more  im- 
periously demanded,  than  are  those  of  this  country  at 
the  present  crisis.     But  these  energies,  if  excited,  will 
have  but  a  feeble  and  irregular  operation,  without  uni- 
ty  of  design,  organization  and  concert.     It  is  impos- 
sible in  the  present  confusion  and  fluctuation  of  af- 
fairs, to  determine  on  a  long  course  of  proceedings. 
Wc  must  feel  out  our  way  step  by  step,  take  advan- 
tage of  occasions  as  they  occur,  and  adapt  our  conduct 
to  varying  circumstances.     The  first  step  is  to  deter- 
mine under  whom  to  act ;  the  next  to  bring  ourselves 
into  proper  system  and  subordination,  that  we  may 
act  with  effect.     Till  these  are  taken,  it  is  futile  to 
think  of  any  general  plan,  or  prospective  system  of 
operations.     In  regard  to  the  first  consideration,  the 
choice  of  conductors,  I  think  that  no  sensible   man 
can  now  be  of  opinion,  that  those,  who  have  hitherto 
guided  the  affairs  of  this  country,  are  any  longer  to  be 
depended  upon.     It  seems  to  me,  that  a  recapitulation 
of  some  of  the  facts,  which  are  within  the  recollection 
or  observation  of  all,  will  force  this  conviction  upon 
the  mind  of  every  man,  and  suggest  to  him  the  only 
alternative  that  circumstances  admit. 

We  well  remember  the  time  when  the  affairs  of 
this  nation  were  in  other  hands ;  when  the  great  men, 
who  had  learned  wisdom  in  the  school  of  experience, 
who  had  been  educated  in  scenes  of  difficulty  and 
danger,  whose  virtues  were  the  hardy  growth  of  ad- 
versity, possessed  something  more  than  the  steril  re- 
spect of  the  public,  (for  of  this  you  cannot  deprive 
them;)  they  were  consulted,  their  opinions  had  au- 


96836 


thority,  and  ihcir  influence  was  felt.  It  was  not  sur- 
prising); that  the  nation  should  be  willing  to  be  preserv- 
ed and  pfoverned  by  those  to  whom  it  owed  its  exist- 
ence. Those  were  days  of  happiness  and  pride  ;  wc 
were  not  then  subjects  of  wrong  and  insulting  op- 
pression at  home,  and  when  abroad  we  were  not 
obliged  to  assume  the  character  of  Englishmen,  to 
avoid  insult  and  contempt.  We  have  all  at  length 
come  to  have  the  same  opinion  of  those  times,  and 
they  are  recollected  with  regret  as  well  by  those  whose 
wickedness  and  folly  so  soon  put  a  period  to  them,  as 
by  those  who  used  all  their  means  to  make  them  per- 
petual. But  times  have  changed,  and  the  nature  of 
the  change  was  early  pointed  out  by  the  men,  whose 
public  services  have  been  rewarded  by  the  ingratitude 
of  the  nation.  They  advised,  they  warned,  ihey  con- 
jured the  people  not  to  lay  violent  hands  on  them- 
selves, not  to  be  made  the  willing  instruments  of  their 
own  destruction.  Virtue,  interest,  gratitude,  and 
common  sense  forbade  the  wild  and  waywaid  derelic- 
tion, and  tlic  malignant  persecution  of  acknowledged 
bcnetuctors.  But  madness  ruled  the  hour.  An  in- 
fatuated people  saw  all  objects  distorted  and  reversed. 
Ingciiious  and  cruel  iniquity  knew  how  to  profit  l)y 
this  delirium  ;  it  humoured  the  phienzy  which  it  had 
inspired,  and  with  which  it  was  partially  affected.  Its 
yielding  subjects,  having  been  long  charmed  with  fic- 
tions of  magTiilicence  and  luxurious  repose  upon  a  bed 
of  roses,  begin  now,  though  too  late,  to  be  brought  to 
a  perception  of  their  real  situation,  by  die  pain  of  ihc 
burning  coals  upon  which  they  have  been  reclined. 
How  short  a  time  since  our  great  and  patriotic  Ames 
was  reviled  in  abusive  language,  as  a  madman,  for  as- 
serting what  none  but  mad  men  now  can  doubt.  Ac- 
complishments have  too  faithfully  followed  piedlc- 
tions ;  it  is  no  longer  necessary  to  quote  the  authori- 
ty of  the  great  and  good  men,  whom  wc  ought  always 
to  have  believed,  to  prove  the  depravity  and  folly  of 
our  betravers  and  destroyers.  The  evidence  is  before 
us  all,  too  clear  to  be  mistaken,  and  too  demonstrative 


i 


not  to  produce  conviction.     Look  at  the  pitiful  offi- 
cers of  government,  by  uhom  we  are  cverv  where  sur- 
rounded,  betraying  and  disgracing  the  public,  wasting 
Us  resources,  mju.ing  and  insultine-  its  citizens    and 
mutually  accusing  each   other  of  fraud   and   lolly  • 
while  all  impartial  men  ratify  the  mutual  criminations-- 
look  at  our  finances,  concerning  which  so  many  pom- 
pons,  silly  things  have  been  said  and  believed  amoiiP- 
the  people— look  at  the  armv,  if  indeed  we  have  any 
thing  which  deserves  the  name— look  at  the  records 
of  chicanery,  duplicity,  and  meanness,  which  our  gov- 
ernment  would  fain  pass  upon  us  for  stmiethiiu^re- 
spectable,  under  the  well  sounding  name  of  negocia- 
tion— look  at  the  inventory  of  your  own  proijcrty  and 
your  means  of  employment— look  at  the  capikil. 
^    But,  say  the  architects  of  national  ruin,  the  federal- 
ists have  contributed  to  this  accumulation  of  calamity 
and    mfamy,   by  withh(jlding    cooperation  from  the 
government,  and  embarrassing  its  measures  by  oppo- 
sition.      io  what  instance  do  they  refer  us  of  this  sin- 
ister  mfluence  of  Federal  activity,  or  Federal  apathy  ? 
1  heir  members  of  Congress  have  displayed  a  heady 
extravagance,  and  wanton  perversity  in  deliberation  • 
they  have  deprived  sober  men,  of  the  rights  of  free 
public  debate.      This  was  certiunly  thcir^  own  u  ork 
and  for  the  consequent  disgraces  and  blunders,  they 
may  thank  themselves.     Thev  have  abridged  the  in- 
dependence, and  impaired  the  respectability  of  the  iu- 
diciary.     The  credit  of  this  they  do  not  wish  to  share 
they  doubtless  deem  it  part  of  their  glory.     Many  of 
their  treasurers,  collectors  and  agents,  have  proved 
rogues,  and  defrauded  the  public.      Were  these  men 
approved,   have   their  characters  and  conduct  been 
passed  without  animadversion,   by  the   Federalists  9 
1  hey  have  enacted  laws  destructive  of  commerce  and 
industry ;  they  have  authorized  their  bailiffs  and  catcli- 
polls  to  intermeddle  in  the  private  concerns  of  well- 
disposed  citizens,  to  violate  their  property  and  per 
sonal  liberty;   and  not  content  with  enacting  absurd, 
tyrannical,  and  pernicious  laws,  with  the  ordinary  sane- 


tlons,  they  have  annexed  to  their  breach,  enormous 
and  unheard  of  penalties.     If  they  have  been  mstipt- 
cd  to  these  measures,  by  the  opposition  made  against 
them  by  the  Federalists,  then  the  latter  have  so  far 
been  the  cause  of  our  sufferings.     They  have  appomt- 
ed  a'J  f(jreign  ministers,  men  whnse  mmds  were  too 
narrow  to  embrace  great  national  interests  ;  men,  who, 
i.:ilc:;d  of  representing  the  nation  with  dignity,  were 
only  -u.ilificd  for  bickerings  and  submissions.     But 
ton'  idoriPg  an  embassador  as  a  representative  of  his 
government,  tlic  choice  of  ours,  in  many  ^stances, 
riur-t  be  alluxved  to  have  been  very  happy.     What 
does  our  government  discover  in  Federal  policy,  to 
iustif}  its  conduct  to\vards  Spain  ?   Have  the  Federal- 
ists instigated  them  to  the  seizure  of  West  Florida, 
and  while  the  "  supereminent  man"  was  stabbing  the 
Spaniard  on  one  side,  to  pick  his  pocket  on  the  other  ? 
If  a  war  with  that  nation  is  the  clftict,  we  shall  not  for- 
get  its  cause.  What  measure  of  the  opposlvion  suggest- 
ed to  our  rulers  the  dissolution  of  tl;e  national  bank? 
The    treasury    is  exhausted,  and  pablic  credit  can 
hardly  be  said  to  exist ;  yet  they  have  levied  aid  col- 
lecttd  taxes  with.out  any  obstacle.     It  is  true,  that 
men,  who  undei stood  their  own  interest,  have  reiused 
to  lend  them  money;  men  of  public  tpint  have  dis- 
suaded  others  from  doing  the  same,  thinking  it  but 
just  to  prevent  the  meai  s  of  mischief  from  eomingin- 
to  the  hands  of  the  mischievously  disposed.     The 
event  has  justified  the  cautions  which  they  gave,  and 
it  is  not  much  to  be  regretted,  that  those  who  have 
preferred  their  profits  to  their  principles,  in  defiance 
of  the  warnings  given  them,  are  likely  to  sufier  for 
their  sordidncss.     But  suppose  they  had  raised  great- 
er loans,  the  only  consequence  would  have  been,  that 
we  might  now  have  reckoned  up  a  greater  amount  of 
losses.     It  is  neither  safe  nor  honourable  to  lend  mon- 
ey  to  gamestt-rs,  and  instead  of  complaining  that  they 
have  not  been  able  to  squander  away,  in  their  despe- 
rate throws,  the  whole  fortunes  of  their  friends  and  en- 
emies, they  ought  to  think  themselves  very  successhil 


to  have  taken  in  so  many.  They  liave  driid  up  the 
sources  of  profit,  let  tlmt  suffice  ;  and  let  them  not  be 
angry  though  some  reservoirs  of  stagnant  \\ tnUh  are 
left  untouched.  Finally,  do  they  suppose  Federalists 
in  any  way  responsible  for  this  war,  with  all  its  dis- 
graceful and  rumous  consequences  ?  They  were  often 
told  at  the  commencement,  that  this  war  had  neither 
motives  nor  justification.  'J'heir  pretended  motives 
have  long  since  ceased  to  exist ;  and  no  reasons  could 
justify  a  war,  carried  on  as  the  present  has  been. 
The  idea  of  hostilities  was  deprecated  by  us,  befrrc 
their  declaration,  and  they  have  taken  all  the  pains 
possible,  to  prove  us  in  the  right,  by  their  miserable 
management ;  tkey  begin,  indeed,  to  sigh  for  peace 
no  less  sincerely,  than  they  raved  and  clamoured  in 
the  outset  for  arms.  They  invite  and  conjure  us  to 
join  them,  and  fight  for  the  peace  which  they  now 
think  so  desirable,  but  which,  three  years  ago,  they  so 
lightly  rejected.  They  blame  us  that  it  lias  not  been 
already  cbtained.  This  was  to  be  expected.  We 
remember  when  they  undertook  to  hold  the  balance 
between  France  and  England,  to  regulate  the  laws  of 
blockade,  to  starve  the  English  poople  into  insurrec- 
tion against  their  own  government,  and  the  West  In- 
dia islands  into  dependence  on  ours.  The  failure  of 
all  these  magnificent  projects  was  attributed  to  Fed- 
eral reluctance  and  evasion.  Now  they  are  dragging 
us  after  them  i?  a  war,  in  which  disaster  is  so  blend- 
ed with  weakness  and  folly,  as  to  render  even  misery 
ridiculous ;  and  the  authors  of  this  evil  and  disgrace, 
pretend  to  trace  them  to  Federal  counteraction.  In 
what  part  of  the  long  tissue  of  ills  and  follies  is  this 
sinister  interference  interwoven  ?  It  was  for  the  gov- 
ernment to  have  made  preparation  for  a  war  which  itself 
declared,  and  which  it  has  accompanied  with  so  much 
gasconade  and  bombast.  Yet  they  had  at  best  no 
more  than  the  rudiments  of  a  navy,  their  army  was 
small,  mostly  composed  of  raw  troops,  without  disci- 
pline, almost  without  subordination,  and  commanded 
by  generals,  who  had  little  reputation  for  experience  in 


Ihc  art  of  war.  still  lc^s  for  a  knowledge  of  llic  science, 
or  the   talciUs   necessary   to   its  attainment.      Ihesc 
commanders  were  not  forced  upon  them  they  were 
men  of  their  own  choice,  many  ol  them  the^r  conh- 
dential  friends  and  particular  favourites  ;    and  this  in- 
deed  accounts  for  the  result.  They  were  promoted,  not 
for  their  ability  to  till  the  places  to  which  they  were 
^.pointed,  but 'because   Mr.  Madison  &  Co.  delight- 
cd  to  honour  them.     Such  wr.s  our  army,  and  such 
were  most  of  its  commanders,  at  the  commencement 
of  a  war  for  conquest  and  glory.     Other  things  were 
answerable.     No  arsenals  and  magazines  were  formed 
on  the  frontiers,  near  the  scene  of  action  ;  ships  were 
still  to  be  built  on  the  lakes,  though  the  command  of 
those  waters  was  so  important,  as  a  part  o.  «  ^^X'^tem 
of  offensive  warfare.     Many  of  the  towns  on  the  At- 
lantic  shore  were  defended  by  >^'fks,  which  deserved 
the  name  of  saluting  stations,  rather  than  that  of  forti- 
fications.     Of  the  strong  mrts,  some  were  wretchedly 
g-arrisoned,  and  others  not  garrisoned  at  all.      bucn 
v-is  the  state  of  this  country,  when  Mr.  Madison  be- 
^an  his  war,  and  at  a  time  too  when  Great  Britain  had 
tn  interest  in  peace,  and  discovered  a  great  desire  for 
its  preservation.    It  is  not  wonderful  then   that  the 
desperate  enterprise  was  opposed  by  the  federalists; 
and  even  treated  with  levity  by  many,  vvho  thought  the 
government  could  not  possibly,  be  senous  in  propos- 
fnn:  it.     Having  precipitated  themselves  into  dilhcul- 
tiel  and  the  couitry  into  peril,  they  have  discovered 
all  the  imbecility  and  inconstancy,   poverty  and  profii- 
gacy  of  resources,  which  are  the  usual  attendants  of 
temerity.     They  began  by  lavishly  spending  the  small 
r^sures  that  lid  been  collected.      They  th«n  resort, 
ec'  to  loans,  double    duties,  direct  taxes,  and  loans 
again,  at  enormous  premiums,  till   at  length  ever^ 
source  of  revenue  is  exhausted.-     Commerce  is  anm 
hilated,  and  with  it  are  lo3t  its  duties  ;  direct  taxes  are 
with  difficulty  collected;    lo^"^.^^"  "°  ^^^A"  ""l 
eociated.      What  part  of  this  disproporfon  of  means 
TyXakings,  this  profligacy,  and  bankruptcy,  has 


been  derived   from   Federal   opposition   or  concur- 
rence  ?  Most  of  the  taxes,  Y.kh  they  have  proposed, 
have  been  voted  without  division,  and  raised  without 
insurrection.     And  mark  the  contrast ;    the  very  man 
at  whose   sugj^estion  these  taxes  have   been    thu:. 
peaceably  voted  and  raised,  was  one  of  the  fomentors 
of  an  insurrection,  in  1798,  on  account  of  a  lighter 
tax,  levied  in  better  times,  and  for  much  better  pur- 
poses.    So  far  indeed  from  being  disiippointed  in  their 
resources,  they  have  received,  by  loans  and  reven- 
ue, many  millions  more  than  Mr.  Gallatin  estima- 
ted,  on  the  tenth  of  January,  one  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred and  twelve,  would  be  necessary  to  execute  all 
their  extravagant  designs.     Yet   with  these  means, 
more  ample  than  they  professed  to  need,  instead  of 
effecting  one  of  their  purposes,  every  instrument  they 
have  used  has  recoiled   vith  ten-fold  force  against 
themselves.     This  is  one  of  the  thousand  instances  in 
which  they  are  convicted,  upon  their  own  showing, 
of  incapability  to  manage  any  affairs  of  war  or  govern- 
ment.     In  short,  the  resources  of  this  country  have 
been  as  accessible  to  its  government,  as  ever  those  of 
any  country  were  to  any  just  government;  it  has  le- 
vied  what  taxes  it  pleased,  and  negociated  what  loans 
it  could ;  and  if,  as  some  complain,  it  has  not  been 
able  to  avail  itself  of  means  to  their  full  extent,  it  has 
been  because  it  was  incapable  and  unworthy  of  using 
them,  and  because  that  incapacity  was,  from  the  be- 
ginning, known  to  many,  and  is  now,  I  may  almost 
say,  expressly  acknowledged  by  all.      No ;  it  has  not 
been  for  want,  but  by  misapplication  of  resources, 
that  our  govtrment  has  disgraced  and  ruined  the 
country ;  and  if  any  Federalists  have  discouraged  loars 
or  taxes,  they  are  to  be  applauded  for  the  calamities  and 
disgraces  they  have  prevented,  not  blamed  for  those 
they  have  caused.     Our  government,  and  the  com- 
manders of  our  armies,  have  taken  their  own  time  for 
every  thing.     They  chose  their  ov/n  time  for  declar- 
mg  die  war ;    and  after  it  was  declared  prematurely, 
and  without  preparation,  still  our  ships  and  armies 
2 


10 

might  have  made  their  preparations  unmolested,  had 
the  former  remained  quietly  in  our  ports,  and  the  lat- 
ter in  their  quarters.     But  how  absurd,  you  say,  to 
proclaim  hostilities,  and  delay  their  commencement ; 
thereby  giving  the  enemy  time  to  prepare  for  his  own 
defence,  or  the  annoyance  of  us.      How  much  more 
absurd,  I  reply,  to  do  one  rash  and  headlong  deed,  in 
pursuance  of  another,  merely  to  maintain  a  consisten- 
cy in  folly ;    and  to  hurry  an  army  into  an  enemy's 
country,  before  its  force  and  equipments  were  ade- 
quate, because  hostilities  had  been  declared  before 
there  was  proper  occasion.     If  our  army  had  consisted 
of  eighty  thousand  men,  could  not  the  hands  of  seven- 
ty nine  thousand  have  been  tied  by  an  armistice,  while 
the  enemy  were  cutting  up  the  eightieth  at  their  leis- 
ure, as  was  the  case  in  the  beginning  of  this  prepos- 
terous conflict  ?     Under  the  conduct  of  such  men  as 
those  with  whom  this  country  has  been  cursed,  the 
feebler  the  armaments,  the  fewer  the  probabilities  of 
disaster ;  and  it  seems  that  they  themselves,  sensible 
of  this,  have  done  every  thing  on  a  small  scale,  and, 
notwithstanding  the  magnitude  of  their  enterprises, 
have  made  contemptible  preparations,  that  chey  might 
contract  the  subjects  of  their  direction,  to  the  narrow 
limits  of  their  own  views  and  capacities.     They  have 
been  prodigal  of  revenues,  which,  though  greater  than 
they  at  first  asked,  they  may  now  aft'ect  to  consider 
small.     Would  they  have  been  economical  had  their 
funds  been  more  ample  ?     There  has  been  a  total 
want  of  system,  design,  and  harmony,  in  the  opera- 
tions of  a  small  army  ;  is  it  then  to  be  supposed,  that 
they  would  have  *'ound  place  in  one  more  numerous  ? 
Want  of  disciphne,  and  insubordination  have  prevail- 
ed among  a  few,  and  two  generals  have  been  compell- 
ed by  the  demands  or  votes  of  their  troops  to  pass 
over  into  Canada  and  be  beaten.    Would  a  multitude 
have  been  more  tractable  ?    If  those,  whom  they  have 
affected  to  call  Tories,  had  surrendered  all  their  prop- 
erty to  the  disposal  of  such  a  government,   and  taken 
\ip  arms  and  placed  themselves  under  the  command  of 


11 

such  leaders,  what  would  have  been  the  consequence, 
but  that  a  hundred  millions  Avould  have  been  wasted 
instead  of  sixty  ;    and  for  one  soldier  that  has  been 
butchered,  died  from  bad  accommodations,  or  rotted 
with  disease,  there  would  have  been  a  return  of  five  ? 
What  could  the  Federalists  have  done  to  prevent  the 
bickerings,   reproaches,  criminations  and  recrimina- 
tions which  have  taken  place  between  our  government 
and  its  officers,   among  the  officers  themselves,  and 
between  the  officers  and  soldiers  ?    Statesmen  of  the 
Boston  stamp  have  had  no  concern  in  appointing  gen- 
erals, some  of  whom  have  been  condemned  as  unwar- 
worthy,  and  one  as  worthy  of  the  gallows.      The 
members  of  the  British  faction  have  made  dinners  and 
held  festivals  in  celebration  of  Russian  victories  ;  but 
they  have  never  solicited  the  Russian  emperor  to  set- 
tle a  contest  in  which  they  had  boastfully  engaged ; 
nor  implored  him  to  protect  them  against  an  adversary 
whom  they  had  voluntarily  defied  and  professed  to 
hold  in  contempt.      These  are  not  the  men,  who,  in 
defiance  of  all  law  and  right,  confined  forty-six  British 
officers  and  soldiers,  with  a  hundred  pompous  formal- 
ities and  declarations,   in  pretended  retaliation  of  what 
was  no  injury,   and  then  pusillanimously  and  incon- 
sistently released  them.      It  ij  true  this  was  an  act  of 
justice,   and  for  that  very  reason  our  chief  magistrate 
contradicted  the  general  tenor  of  his  conduct,  and 
especially  and  pointedly  all  his  declarations  on  this 
subject,  wl  jn  he  did  it. 

We  should  never  have  done,  were  we  to  go  on  to 
enumerate  all  the  instances  of  dishonour  and  suffer- 
ing, which  have  been  brought  upon  this  nation  dur- 
ing the  last  six  years.  Among  all  these  I  find  none 
that  is  to  be  charged  to  the  party  of  sober  and  sensi- 
ble men.  Those  who  have  stood  first  in  their  ranks, 
have  uniformly  opposed  the  pernicious  designs  of  the 
government,  pointed  out  its  errors  and  weaknesses, 
and  warned  us  of  the  evils  whicii  were  impending 
over  us.  While  the  government,  seconded  by  all  its 
abettors,  as  well  the  corrupt  a?  the  deluded,  has  been 


12 

annihilating  Bommeree,  they  have  brought  to  its  de 
fence  all  tlie.r  reason  and  their  eloquencl.     W  fie  ii 
has  cnnged  to  one  foreign  nation   and  crept  on  in 
humble  cooperation  with  its  nefarious  designs   thev 
have  made  ,t  hear  the  language  of  honou  S  juZ 
t.ce_>vhen  ,t  msuUed  another  ibreign  non-er,  thev  re 
monstrated-when  it  has  wantonlytacHl.cu    thTia' 
ttonal  mterests,  they  have  protested-^  hen    t  has  va 
poured  and  threatened,  they  have  replied  in  firm  and 
dignified  language-vvhen  it  has  enicted  absurd  a"d 
tyrannical  laws,  they  have  given  their  negative-when 
u  ha.  announced  its,nagmficent  projecis,  Aey  have 
given  notice  of  its  slender  means-'-a,^,ids    profligacv 
and  waste,  they  have  advocated  cconomy-when  in^ 
capable   and  corrupt   men   have   been  elevS  and 
rusted,  they  have  not  failed  to  describe  their  chame 

mirt"s:v:d"'""  ^-V"  danger,  they  told tw  U 
mignt  be  saved—now  it  is  m  temporary  ruins  =^  is 
under  their  conduct  and  counsel,  and  thJirs  ato  \vl 
hope  to  restore  it.     Thus  have  the  FederaUs  s    W 

.■ii^v  r  ir  ?s  t  ^ii«4-s^ve  i!^ 

.hey  l.ve  prevf  l"."  idd  .^^^-^'^^ 
than  those  they  have  assuaged.      Though  we^are  a 
degraded  and  miserable  nation,  vet  law  has  sSl  some 
authority,  and  rights  some  respect.     Th,rvvould  ™  t 
now  have  been  the  case,  had  not  the  partizans  of  Mr 
Madison  had  more  respect  for  those  who  I  ave  sm, 
ported  justice  and  order,  than  they  have  had  for  i us" 
tee  and  order  themselves.     How  often  have  we  K 
che  threat,    roi.i  the  bad  eminence  of  misrule    ".W 
opposition  diouid  be  put  down ;"  in  other  woi'ds  that 
no  citizen  should  be  allowed  to  express  his  d  saDDm 
banoii  of  the  measures  of  the  government      "^Pr" 
threat  has  been  repeated  by  all  the^echoes  rf'idm.nu' 
ration,    Irom  all  the  depths  and  recesses  of  the  mrtv' 

ot  htcdom,  It  h:is  been  permitted  the  cid^ens  to  op. 


i- 


IS 

pose  the  government  by  censuring  its  nrore^^mn. 
and  shewing  their  error  or  their  WeVnLs^      B„tT' 
exercise  of  this  right  has,  among  us  Sved^^   de' 

iiz.i;  ssz  feS  B 

for  soR.cthing  more.  At  one  time  th^n  '"'^"^'^<' 
part  of  the  Senate  of  MassaX  «s,  whiSTXenlv 
one  of  the  manoeuvres  of  thp  Ip«h^.<c    r  '  ^^ 

friends  so   zea buslv  enirf^H  ar,^      " '"^n  ne  and  his 

admired.     Tlie  cuulg  off  of  head?  ^ndr '"*='"?; 
understood  what  heads    w»«  =,„.'■       ^. "  """^  «''^" 

toplck  of  open"  ottatr  ^o" ^Te  'dLrr""". 
*ndK;  b'e"  ti'r  li^hTnl  ''^  ''^''  '^^^  an"^ 

scenes  of  BaLt'sh'ut  '^Jt:r:lT"^Xt  ''" 
vated  atrocities,  in  all  narN  of  Tkf  f  ?' •    .  „Sgra- 

And  why  have  they  no!  bC?  °  TWs  ,v^  owe  fT'' 
citizens  to  the  firm  and  dignified  conduM  if  th?" 
men  whose  worth  entitles  them  to  the  hatred  »L      '^ 

7T^.  '"^  '^''  -^  ^^  -fide^-^dTute 

edth=tlS:;^t^-ti^-^^^^^^ 

and  disgraces     bv  a  hnri.r  «r  "'"'^=*'  aangers,  folhes 


'V 


14 

are  often  to  be  found  at  the  head  of  a  party  ;    men 
whose  only  faults,  for  it  is  the  part  of  human  nature 
to  have  them,  have  been,  m  the  estimation  of  their 
friends,  too  great  moderation  and  forbearance.     With 
these  their  enemies  at  least  have  charged  them,  though 
they  have  given  them  other  names.      We  have  at 
length  arrived  at  a  period  most  difficult  and  trying, 
one  which  demands  all  our  wisdom  and  all  our  ener- 
eies.     While  our  government  hired  volunteers  to  go 
and  fiaht  for  honours  and  plunder  on  the  waters  of  the 
atUntic,  and  in  the  snows  of  Canada,  it  was  for  us  to 
censure  the  extravagance,  pay  our  part  of  the  cost, 
share  what  of  the   reproach   we    could  not  avoid, 
and  be  cmiet.     But  those  times  have  gone  by.      1  he 
folU  and  treachery  of  our  government  has  brought  an 
enemy  into  our  dwellings,  it  is  for  us  to  give  an  ac 
c.  ant  of  him.     This  we  are  to  do,  not  because  we 
are  called  upon  by  the  man  who  was  chosen  to  be 
chief  magistrate  of  the  United  States,  who  st  U  ad- 
dresses  us  in  the  heroics  of  imbecility,  and  talks  of 
the  high  destinies  of  a  country  which  he  has  done  his 
utmos!  to  ruin.     We  leave  him  to  wander  over  the 
desolate  site  of  his  palace,  and  contemplate  m  the  ashes 
of  the  capitol,   an  emblematic  monument  ot  his  ad- 
ministration.     The  government  which  we  instituted 
for  protection,   has  abandoned  us,   therefore  we  shall 
be  safe.      True  we  here  and  there  witness  the  med- 
dinj^  interference  of  inflated  littleness.      But  let  it 
busf  and  fret  .tself,  till  it  is  lulled  asleep  by  its  own 
senseless  humming.     Meantime  let  us  set  about  the 
great  work  before  us  ;    let  us  find  in  this  chaos  the 
elements  of  order,  and  in  this  iniamy  the  seeds  ot  hon- 
our.     We  hear  the  voice  of  our  own  yenerao le  chief 
magistrate  ;    let  it  animate  us  to  yield  something  ot 
™ur  services  to  that  public,  to  which  he  devotes  every 
thina.      A  regard  for  our  own  persons  and  property 
poinl  out  our^ourse.      Let  us  sacrifice  part  of  our 
Lods  in  manly  defence,   rather  than  all  in  ^isgracefu 
capitulation.      If  our  persons  are  to  be  bruised    let  it 
be  in  Uie  field,  not  in  bearing  burdens  of  plunder  from 


15 


our  own  stores,  to  gratify  invading  rapacity.  Hon. 
our,  pride,  local  attachments  and  public  spirit  second 
the  call  of  our  governour,  and  bid  us  guard  our  me- 
tropolis from  contamination,  and  prevent  the  enemy 
from  leaving  in  it  marks  of  his  triumph  and  signals  of 
reproach  to  ourselves  and  shame  to  posterity. 

At  the  same  time  let  us  understand  ourselves  well 
and  be  explicit.      We  are  called  upon  to  strengthen 
the  hands  of  government.      To  this  call   1  believe 
most  of  us  are  deaf,  if  that  government  be  meant,  the 
energy  of  whose  hands  we  have  never  felt,  except  in 
attempts  to  strangle  us.     We  devote  our  services  to 
the  public  good,  and  have  no  hope  of  their  being  di- 
rected to  this  object,  but  under  die  direction  of  the 
government  of  Massachusetts.     Of  that  other  author- 
ity,  whose  baleful  control  we  have  so  long  deprecated, 
we  only  ask  that  it  will  not  encumber  us  with  its  in- 
terference,  and  palsy  our  strength  by  its  benumbing 
touch.      If  it  furnish  us  with  all  the  facilities  in  its 
power,  in  munitions  and  implements  of  war,  and  the 
cooperation  of  its  forces,   we  shall  be  content.     But 
even  these  let  it  withhold,  rather  than  bestow  them  ac- 
companied with  its  counsels  and  commands.      We 
have  had  too  full  an  experience  of  these  already,  and 
I  am  persuaded  that  I  express  a  very  general  senti- 
ment, in  saying  that,  as  far  as  moral  evil  and  pecunia- 
ry sacrifice  are  to  be  regarded,  it  would  be  better  that 
Boston  should  be  treated  as   Alexandria  has  been, 
rather  than  be  subjected  to  two  years  of  such  misgov- 
ernment  as  that  under  which  this  country  has  of  late 
suffered ;  just  as  one  would  prefer  to  receive  at  once, 
a  deep  wound,  rather  than  have  his  marrow  eaten  away 
by  a  slow  poison.      We  wish  to  do  nodiing  which 
may  prolong  or  strengthen  that  deleterious  power. 

They  call  upon  us  to  forget  party  distinctions,  and 
bury  party  animosities.  This  we  have  always  been 
ready  to  do.  They  invite  us  to  act  on  the  broad  prin- 
ciples of  public  spirit  and  national  honour.  This  we 
always  have  done.  Our  politics  a.. .  .lur  patriotism, 
are  but  different  names  of  the  same  thirig.     Wc  should 


V 


I 


16 

be  the  basest  of  men,  to  act  in  contradiction  of  our 
principles  and  opinions,  and  tliese  we  have  no  rea. 
son  to  change.     Every  event  is  a  new  confirmation  of 
them.     Do  they  say  the  same  on  their  part  ?    How- 
then  came  we  into  this  deplorable  condition  ?   But 
they  do  not  say  it.     All  who  have  any  sensibility  to 
truth  and  sinceri^.y  of  expression,  begin  to  give  testi- 
mony against  the  men  whom  we  have  opposed,  and 
the  o'^inions  which  we  have  combated.     The  more 
insenuons  are  loud  in  the  execration  of  their  betray- 
ers, and  frank  in  the  acknowledgment  of  their  errours. 
They  triumph  in  a  victory  over  their  prejudices,  and 
elory  in  the  discovery  and  promotion  of  the  general 
lood      Many  have  set  this  noble  example,  and  many 
more*  ought  to  have  imitated  it.     They  will  do  it. 
You  will,  my  countrymen,  acknowledge  the  secret 
convictions,  which  do  you  honour,  and  which  will  do 
you  still  greater  honour  when  they  cease  to  be  secret. 
You  will  again  be  what  you  once  were.     You  will 
ao-ain  repose  confidence  in  such  men,  as  it  was  once 
your  pride  to  respect.     We  have  long  tried  them,  and 
cordially  recommend  them  to  your  support.      You 
have  lon^  observed  them,  and  must,  b}   this  time, 
cease  to  distrust  their  integrity.     To  whom  else  can 
vou  look  for  the  salvation  of  your  country?    Ihose 
conceited  things,  which,  in  the  sunshine  of  easy  times, 
were  so  ostentatious  at  parade,  and  so  flippant  at  cau- 
cus where  are  they  now,  when  the  sky  blackens,  and 
the' thunder  begins  to  roll?    The  greater  part  have 
skulked  into  their  hiding  places,  and  but  for  their 
whining  and  carping,  it  would  be  forgotten  that  they 
exist.     Some  remain  in  the  scene  to  gather  up  the 
plunder  which  confusion  always  exposes  to  unprinci- 
pled cupidity.     A  few  of  the  most  desperate,  still  af- 
fect to  act,  and  giddily  hurry  to  and  fro,  at  their  wits' 
end    without  method,  purpose  or  effect.     None  but 
weak  and  infatuated  men,  will  continue  to  follow  such 
leaders  as  these.     Forsake,  at  length,  those  of  the  im- 
posters,  who  have  not  already  done  you  the  kindness 
to  desert    you.     We  have  suifered  with  you  long 


17 

enough  on  their  principles  ;    it  is  for  you  now  to  co*. 
operate  with  us  in  saving  the  country  upon  ours. 

For  ourselves,  we  have  no  doubt  concerning  the 
first  step  to  be  taken  in  this  business  We  have  long 
acted  under  the  auspices  of  such  men  as  Caleb  Strong 
and  Rufus  King.  It  is  our  purpose  still  to  be  advi- 
sed by  them.  We  have  long  lamented,  that  our  sense 
of  duty  and  love  of  country  prevented  us  from  ma- 
king an  active  effort,  to  parry  the  disgraces  and  ills, 
of  which  we  have  been  the  subjects  and  witnesses. 
Our  hands  arc,  at  length,  unbound.  We  may  now 
oppose  one  enemy,  without  strengthening  another. 
We  are  ordered  to  take  our  arms.  This  we  do  cheer- 
fully. Our  purpose  is  to  grapple  the  enemy  when, 
ever  he  comes  within  our  reach,  and  drive  h'im  from 
our  soil.  It  is  a  question  of  honour  and  not  of  ex- 
pediency. It  requires  no  deliberation.  We  are  sta- 
tioned at  a  post,  which  to  abandon,  without  a  vigo- 
rous resistance,  would  be  foul  disgrace. 

We  well  understand  the  immediate  object  of  our 
eflforts,  and,  in  general,  the  men  under  whose  direc- 
tion they  must  be  made.  At  the  same  time,  let  us  be 
sensible  to  the  difficulties  of  our  situation,  that  we  may 
encounter  them  with  fortitude,  and  the  sooner  over- 
come them.  We  have  yet  to  arrange  ourselves  in 
snch  system  and  subordintvtion,  as  may  give  our  ex- 
ertions the  greatest  effect.  There  are  many  in  all 
parts  of  the  United  States,  and  of  all  parties,  with 
whom  we  would  gladly  cooperate  in  the  service  of 
our  country.  But  we  have  no  regular  communica- 
tion, no  common  council  and  authority.  Our  only 
bond  of  union  is  a  similarity  of  sentiments  and  wishes. 
We  must  wait  patiently  then,  till  some  combination 
can  be  made  of  the  resources,  talents  and  patriotism 
of  the  country.  If  such  a  combination  be  possible, 
we  expect  of  those,  whose  proper  office  it  is  to  form 
it,  not  to  be  idle.  But  though,  by  the  weakness  and 
fatuity  of  the  general  government,  the  individual  states 
have  become,  in  a  measure,  isolated  from  each  other, 
it  is  not  at  present  a  great  misfortune  to  Massachu- 
3 


18 

t,ett«i.  All  the  embarrassments  which  we  shall  at  pres- 
ent feel,  in  our  separate  system  of  action,  would  not 
be  less  if  we  were  part  of  a  greater  system.  We  have 
probably  men  and  resources  more  than  sufficient  to 
meet  any  force,  that  the  enemy  will  immediately  send 
against  us.  And  if  our  exertions  were  as  intimately 
blended  with  those  of  the  other  states,  and  had  such  a 
dependence  upon  them,  as  we  could  wish,  still  it  is 
probable  that  more  of  the  general  burden  would  fall 
upon  our  shoulders,  than,  in  present  circumstances, 
we  shall  be  obliged  to  bear. 

Our  disorganized  condition  affords  the  only  reason 
tor  not  wishing  the  enemy  to  land  in  our  neighbour- 
liood  to-morrow.  A  degree  of  confusion  and  pertur- 
Ijation  are  unavoidably  incident  to  new  circumstances, 
;md  these  it  is  the  duty  of  every  man  to  apply  all  his 
activity  and  influence  to  remedy.  The  legislature  will 
soon  be  assembled,  and  if  it,  as  we  expect  it  will,  pos. 
hess  a  dignity  and  spirit  worthy  of  Massachusetts,  it 
will  be  a  powerful  agent  in  the  diffusion  of  vigour 
;hu1  introduction  of  order.  But  we  all  have  our  of- 
fices  and  functions,  as  well  as  the  representatives 
ilieirs,  and  we  may  enter  upon  them  as  well  before,  as 
..fter  the  fiich  of  (October. 

If  the  public  resources  are  inadequate,  we  can  aug- 
.ncnt  them,  by  voluntary  contributions  and  services  ; 
and  it  is  the  concern  of  superintendants,  to  see  that 
these  are  procured,  in  a  manner  the  least  burdensome 
K)  individuals,  and  the  most  useful  to  the  public. 

A  very  numerous  body  of  militia  is  collected,  and 
collecting,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Boston.  They 
ui-e  not  collected  for  pastime  and  shew,  as  they  are 
wont  to  be  ;  nor  as  a  sort  of  supernumeraries,  as  mili- 
tia commonly  are.  If  they  act  at  all,  (and  there  is  little 
doubt  that  thev  will  be  required  to)  they  must  act 
against  veteran 'troops ;  they  must  answer  the  purpose 
of  a  regular  army,  and  therefore  ought,  immediately, 
to  be  converted  into  something  as  like  regular  soldiers 
as  possible.  Instead  of  being  encouraged  to  indulge 
the  hope,  that  we  shall  not  be  molested,  till  their  three 


It 

months*  service  is  expired  ;  they  should  be  niatlc  to 
think  of  the  encmy»  to  expect,  to  wish  to  j»ee  him. 
And  this  they  will  do,  when  they  are  properly  prcpar 
ed  to  meet  him. 

The  first  measures  for  forming  an  army  out  of  these 
materials,  belong  to  the  governour  and  council,  and 
the  commanding  officers ;  and  we  have  no  doubt  of 
their  understanding  and  doing  their  duty.  Meantime 
it  is  our  part  to  regard  their  conduct  with  the  greatest 
candour  and  liberality,  not  expecting  them  to  be 
changed  in  a  moment,  from  peaceable  civil  magis- 
trates and  retired  gentlemen,  into  consu  in  mate  marshals 
and  generals,  any  more  than  they  are  to  expect  from 
us,  to  be  transmuted  in  a  twinkling,  from  sober 
husbandmen,  mechanics  and  tradesmen,  into  <vell  dis- 
plined  ::oldiers.  Let  us  all  be  active,  vigilant,  public- 
spirited,  and  liberal-minded,  and  our  aftairs  will  go 
well,  every  thing  will  come  in  its  proper  place,  and 
affairs  will  be  transacted,  at  first  as  they  can  be,  after- 
wards as  they  should  be. 

There  is  no  doubt  that,  as  soon  as  it  is  practicable, 
the  militia  will  be  called  out  in  such  portions,  and  for 
such  periods  of  service,  as  that  only  a  small  part  shall 
leave  the  camp  at  once  ;  and  then  those  who  take 
their  places,  will  soon  catch  the  spirit  and  discipline 
of  the  great  body  which  remains. 

Doubtless  every  exertion  is  making  to  establish  a 
commissariat,  that  all  articles  of  necessity  and  conve- 
nience, may  be  procured  at  the  cheapest  rate,  and  of 
the  best  kind.  Barracks  are  erecting,  tents  preparing, 
hospitals  providing,  and  surgeons  *.o  be  appointed,  and 
precautions  taken  that  the  wages  of  the  soldiers  may 
be  regularly  and  punctually  paid.  This  I  do  not  state 
from  a  particular  personal  knowledge,  but  because  I 
know  it  to  be  expected  by  all  who  are  called  into  ser, 
vice,  and  because  my  confidence  in  tliose  who  pro\ide 
and  direct,  does  not  permit  me  to  doubt,  tiiat  proper 
attention  is  given  to  these  subjects 

Though  we  have  a  high  opinion  .of  the  ability,  mer- 
it, and  patriotism,  of  the  men  under  whose  guidance, 


26 

U'c  act ;  it  is  useless  to  conceal  from  ourselves,  that  u 
lonj;  interval  of  comparative  inactivity,  has  left  us  des- 
titute of  the  personal  confidence,  and  enthusiastic  at- 
tachment, which  are  the  soul  oi  discipline  and  pledge 
of  v^ctoty.  We  cannot  leel  towards  each  other,  like 
those  who  have  suffered  and  triumphed  together. 
'J'hough  many  of  our  commanders  knew  something  of 
service,  during  the  revolutionary  war  ;  it  was  a  long 
time  ago ;  "nd  the  sight  of  their  countenances  does  not, 
like  that  of  veteran  generals  to  veteran  soldiers,  awa- 
ken in  many  of  us,  the  recollection  of  past,  and  desire 
of  future  scenes  of  danger  and  glory.  But  we  know 
that  they  have  talents  and  courage.  When  they  have 
come  together,  they  will  mutually  operate  on  each 
other  ;  talents  will  be  disclosed,  and  character  strength- 
ened by  exigency  ;  and  each  one  will  soon  assume 
the  rank  and  influence,  for  which  nature  and  educa- 
tion have  qualified  him.  Let  them  show  themselves 
to  us,  who  are  in  ihe  ranks,  and  do  every  thing  to  ex- 
cite  personal  attachment  and  respect.  Let  them  teach 
us  our  duty,  encourage  obedience,  discipline  and  skill, 
by  noticing  them,  and  bestowing  such  distinctions  as 
are  in  their  poM'er  ;  and  the  first  time  they  lead  us  in- 
to  the  field  they  shall  be  more  than  rewarded  for  their 
labours. 

A  great  obstacle  to  the  conversion  of  militia  into 
efiective  soldiery,  arises  fiom  the  relation  in  which  of- 
ficcrs  and  privates  stand  to  each  other,  as  citizens. 
Before  general  orders  were  issued,  the  captain  may 
have  been  a  partner  in  business  with  the  colonel,  and 
the  common  soldier,  on  a  committee  with  the  captain. 
It  is  difiieult  to  render  them,  to  day,  passive  instru- 
ments in  the  hands  of  those,  whose  equals  they  were 
yesterday,  and  expect  soon  to  be  again.  There  is 
however,  in  the  character  of  our  people,  a  remedy  for 
this  evil.  Though  they  have  a  great  repugnance  to 
any  thing  resembling  arbitary  authority,  and  yield  a 
reluctant  obedience  to  persons  ;  they  are  willing  to 
obey  laws,  and  submit  to  general  regulations,  that  are 
properly  established.     It  is  better  to"  humour  this  dis- 


21 

position,  than  attempt  to  overcome  it.  There  is  the 
strongest  reason  for  doing  this,  since  their  military 
service  is  but  a  short  digression  from  their  general 
habits.  It  is  on  the  whole,  a  favourable  circumstance, 
and  may  be  taken  advantage  of,  to  render  them  more 
tractable,  and  combined  with  their  characteristic 
shrewdness  and  intelligence,  may  be  improved  to 
teach  them  by  instruction,  what  it  would  require 
much  longer  time  to  learn  by  mere  practice.  This 
may  be  done,  by  instructing  the  officers  minutely  in 
military  laws  and  rules,  that  they  may  communicate 
them  to  their  soldiers  ;  or  manuals  nwy  be  distributed 
among  the  officers  and  common  soldiers,  who  may 
well  enough  devote  to  the  study  of  them,  part  of  the 
time  which  they  would  otherwise  spend  in  the  peru- 
sal of  newspapers. 

A  musket  is  necessarily,  at  first,  an  unwieldly  im- 
plement in  the  hands  of  one,  who  has  been  accustom- 
ed, all  his  life,  to  use  a  sickle,  a  planing  tool,  or 
yard- stick.  And  those  who  have  never  gone  oflf  their 
own  grounds,  except  to  market  or  to  meeting,  will 
not  immediately  assume  a  very  martial  air.  To 
give  them  the  balance  and  prompt  management  of 
their  arms  and  bodies,  minute  and  frequent  drills,  in 
very  small  bodies,  are  requisite.  Many  of  the  officers 
have  little  more  skill  than  their  soldiers.  The  officers 
themselves  might  be  drilled,  and  thus  taught  to  exer- 
cise  their  men.  Or  if  this  be  thought  a  derogation 
from  their  dignity,  there  are,  in  and  about  Boston, 
many  young  gentleman  well  skilled  in  the  manual  ex- 
ercise and  military  evolutions,  who  would  doubtless 
be  ready  to  communicate  their  knowledge  to  the 
militia  companies,  if  any  method  of  doing  it  were  pro- 
posed. Ey  severe  and  exact  drilling,  a  raw  soldier  is 
not  only  enabled  to  use  his  limbs  and  weapons  with 
greater  agility  ;  he  is  insensibly  inspired  with  a  mili- 
tary  spirit  and  pride  in  obedience.  Unless  by  this 
and  other  means,  you  awaken  the  ardour  and  confi- 
dence of  the  soldier  ;  reviews  and  mock-fights  rather 
damp  than  animate  his  courage,  since  they  give  him 


32 


an  idea  ol  the  tenors  oi'  war,   uitliout  uny  sentiment 
of  its  ^loriest  , 

Tiic  excitement  of  a  spirit  of  emulation,  from  the 
competitions  of  regiments,  down  to  those  of  individu- 
al' u»a\-  be  rcndeicd  one  of  die  most  powerful  instru- 
ments in  forming;  U\is  mass  of  labourers  and  men  of 
business,  into  creatures  of  war. 

There  is  g;  i.at  danger  of  disease,  from  crowding 
together  so  many  men,  who  have  not  been  accustom- 
ed to  prepare  thi  ir  own  food,  or  take  care  of  their  own 
persons.  Besides  the  exertions  of  th^^  officers  and 
surgeons,  much  may  be  done  to  prevent  this  by  the 
inhabitants  of  Boston  and  its  neighbourhood,  by  mere- 
ly nuiking  suggestions  to  the  odicers  of  companies 
with  whom  they  may  chance  to  be  acquainted,  or  by 
furnishing  such  little  conveniences  as  they  are  able. 
And  if  any  thing  can  be  done  by  the  women,  dieir 
public  spirit  and  benevolence  may  be  calculated  upon 
with  still  greater  confidence.  It  will  only  be  neces- 
sary to  intimate  to  the  ni  any  service  they  can  render. 

Licentiousness,  and  all  the  other  vices  bred  by  in- 
dolence, will  of  course  be  p  evented  by  military  exer- 
cises, labouring  upon  the  fortifications,  beating  to 
arms  at  unusual  hours,  and  the  like,  as  frequently  and 
as  much  as  the  zeal  and  discipline  of  a  temporary 
army  will  permit.  If  these  be  not  sufficient,  it  may 
not  be  inexpedient  to  encourage  such  active  and 
athletic  sports,  as  tend  to  keep  up  die  spirits  of  the 
soldiers,  and  give  suppleness  to  their  limbs. 

I  have  been  insensibly  drawn  into  this  detail,  some- 
what beyond  my  original  intention  ;  and  though  I 
might  proceed  much  further,  I  am  aware  that  plausi- 
ble objections  are  not  wanting,  to  some  things  I  have 
already  said.  I'hcse  I  shall  not  anticipate  for  the  pur- 
pose of  answering,  but  rest  satisfied,  if  I  may  have 
done  any  thing  towards  rendering  every  man  responsi- 
ble to  the  public  for  the  performance  of  his  duty,  and 
calling  the  attention  of  men,  of  more  experience  f^nd 
better  judgmtv.tj  to  those  subjects  upon  which  I  have 
■thrown  out  my  v'■'^cle  r^^d  inii>erfect  thoughts. 


23 

Finally,  let  us  bear  in  mind,  that  however  it  may 
be  with  our  own  safety,  and  tiiat  of  Old  Miisjiacim. 
setts,  our  honour,  at  least,  is  in  oiu-  huud.^,  and  this 
we  may  vindicate  in  spite  of  fate  and  the  general  gov- 
ernment. Mean  while,  let  us  not  \  ipour  and  boast, 
more  especially,  if  in  any  individual  uistance  or  two, 
we  may  be  worsted.  If  Mr.  Madison,  by  one  of  his 
masterly  military  manoeuvres,  converts  more  d(  feats 
into  victories,  let  us  brace  our  muscles  and  be  grave, 
while  the  English  laugh.  If  there  shall  be  a  battle  of 
Boston,  let  as  fight  it  as  becomes  men,  (to  say  nothing 
about  yr^^",  bravej  mvincible,  and  all  that  stuff;)  and 
when  we  have  done,  not  imagine  that  it  will  make  a 
greak.  figure  in  history,  than  the  battle  of  Leipsic, 
but  be  contented  with  considering  the  buttle  of  Lake 
Erie  equal  to  that  of  the  Nile. 


and 


